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Designated greenfield areas

The minimum density target of 50 people and jobs per hectare combined for development in designated greenfield areas may be difficult to monitor. There is no requirement to achieve the target annually, and the Growth Plan states that new developments “will be planned to achieve”[1] the minimum density. In other words, municipalities do not need to demonstrate that the intended densities have actually been achieved.

Since the target is measured over the entire designated greenfield area of each upper- or single-tier municipality, some greenfield areas may be planned for densities higher than 50 people and jobs per hectare, and some will have lower densities.[2] Moreover, lower minimum density targets are permitted in Outer Ring municipalities that do not contain an Urban Growth Centre.[3]

Table 3.7 at the end of this section lists the minimum designated greenfield area density targets for municipalities across the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The following observations summarize the main points.

First, all Inner Ring municipalities (upper- and single-tier) have adopted the 50 people and jobs per hectare minimum target. As with the intensification targets, the minimum greenfield area density target is irrelevant in the City of Toronto because there is no remaining supply of greenfield land (see Figure 3.4).

Second, of the 15 upper- or single-tier municipalities in the Outer Ring, five have adopted the required minimum, nine have chosen to use lower alternative density targets (ranging from 29 to 39 people and jobs per hectare), and only one (Waterloo Region) has proposed to exceed the minimum requirements of the Growth Plan (55 people and jobs per hectare), the only municipality to do so.

Third, as with intensification targets, there is no obvious connection between the minimum designated greenfield area density targets and growth rates or population and employment forecasts (see Table 3.6). For example, Simcoe County is forecast to add 162,000 people by 2031 and has set a greenfield area density target of 39 people and jobs per hectare, even though Simcoe County has similar growth characteristics to Hamilton, Barrie, Waterloo, and Niagara, each of which used the 50 people-and-jobs-per-hectare target.

Fourth, decisions about targets at the lower-tier level are very much controlled by upper-tier municipalities, and those municipalities exhibit a range of perspectives and attitudes toward the density of greenfield area development. The differences result in a patchwork of targets. Figure 3.5 summarizes the differences among the lower-tier municipalities.

3 Upper- and single-tier municipal official plans and correspondence between the Minister of Infrastructure and upper- and single-tier municipalities, See Table 3.7

4 The City of Toronto contains no designated greenfield area lands.

In the Inner Ring, York and Durham Regions, and in the Outer Ring, Waterloo Region and Wellington and Peterborough Counties have elected to apply a uniform density target across all their constituent lower-tier municipalities that is identical to the upper-tier target. All other upper-tier municipalities in the Inner and Outer Rings have elected to apply non-uniform targets to their lower-tier municipalities.

Table 3.7 illustrates some anomalies in the targets assigned to lower-tier municipalities. For example, within Peel and Halton, different density targets have been determined for each of the lower tiers. Peel has set the highest target for its largest and most developed municipality, Mississauga, which seems logical, even though its designated greenfield area is only 189 hectares. Halton has set the highest density for its second-smallest municipality (Milton), which is surprising, given the small size, low density of historical development, and more rural character of the community. Also surprising is the fact that the well-established Inner Ring cities of Oakville and Burlington in Halton Region are permitted to grow on designated greenfield lands at levels below the stated minimum of 50 people and jobs per hectare, while the more rural Townships of Wainfleet and West Lincoln in Niagara Region in the Outer Ring are expected to achieve the minimum of 50 people and jobs per hectare. Taken together, these upper-tier decisions do not constitute a consistent approach to regional growth management.

It is not clear what factors the Minister used to justify the decision to permit lower minimum designated greenfield area density targets for certain municipalities. The correspondence from the Ministry of Infrastructure to the affected municipalities provides no explanation or justification.

Region of Niagara Sustainable Community Policies: Places to Grow/2005 Provincial Policy Statement Conformity and Niagara 2031 Amendment, Amendment 2-2009 of the Official Plan for the Niagara Planning Area as approved on May 28, 2009 by Regional Council and amended through the addition of Policy 4.6.6.

City of Niagara Falls

50

City of Port Colborne

50

City of St. Catharines

50

City of Thorold

50

City of Welland

50

Town of Fort Erie

50

Town of Grimsby

50

Town of Lincoln

50

Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake

50

Town of Pelham

50

Township of Wainfleet

Not Applicable

Township of West Lincoln

50

Figure 3.6 indicates those municipalities that were eligible to use alternative minimum intensification and greenfield area density targets and those that have requested and been permitted to do so. The figure also indicates the forecasted population and employment growth (2001–2031) for each municipality.

Figure 3.6: Upper- and single-tier municipalities eligible to use alternative targets and using alternative targets

[2] For example, the densities planned for designated greenfield areas in Brampton range from a low of 3.8 p+j/ha to a high of 93.3 p+j/ha. The combined average density planned for all designated greenfield areas across Brampton is 54.5 p+j/ha. Hemson Consulting Ltd., Assessment of Planned and Potential Growth in Designated greenfield Areas, Discussion Paper for Public Review, City of Brampton, February 2009.